No TV, computer or video games for seven days
A group of Haldane and Garrison School parents are organizing a local program for Screen Free Week, April 30-May 6. Philipstown families that choose to participate will join thousands of schools, libraries, and community groups nationwide in a coordinated effort turn off televisions, computers, and video games for seven days. Screen-Free Week (formerly TV-Turnoff) is coordinated by the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC), a national advocacy organization devoted to reducing the impact of commercialism on children. Since the Week’s founding in 1994, it has been celebrated by millions of children and their families worldwide. An informational meeting will be held at Butterfield Library on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m.
Local organizers and CCFC are not anti-technology: the committee coordinates via email and the internet. They believe, however, it is easy for screen time to become excessive. Nationwide, preschool children average over four and a half hours a day consuming screen media, while older children spend over seven hours a day including multitasking. Excessive screen time has been linked to a number of problems for children, including childhood obesity, poor school performance, and problems with attention span. All are welcome to the informational meeting. For more information about the nationwide program and CCFC, visit http://www.screenfree.org/.
